Psalm 48:1-2 KJV,NLT

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 48:1-7

The psalmist is designing to praise Jerusalem and to set forth the grandeur of that city; but he begins with the praises of God and his greatness (Ps. 48:1), and ends with the praises of God and his goodness, Ps. 48:14. For, whatever is the subject of our praises, God must be both the Alpha and Omega of them. And, particularly, whatever is said to the honour of the church must redound to the honour of the church's God. What is here said to the honour of Jerusalem is, I. That the King of heaven... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 48:1

Great is the Lord ,.... The same that in the foregoing psalm is said to be gone, up to heaven with a shout, to sit on the throne of his holiness, to reign over the Heathen, and to be King over all the earth; who is great, and the Son of the Highest; the great God and our Saviour; great in his person as God-man, God manifest in the flesh, his Father's fellow and equal; and in the perfections of his nature, being of great power, and of great wisdom, and of great faithfulness, and of strict... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 48:2

Beautiful for situation ,.... This, and what follows, are said of the city of God, the city of Jerusalem, which was delightfully situated on an eminence, in a wholesome air; the brook Kidron gliding by it, the water of Siloah running through it or at least through some parts of it; fields and gardens adjoining to it, and mountains all around it: and so the church of Christ is built upon him, the Rock; the river of divine love runs by it, the streams whereof make it glad; the green pastures... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 48:1

Great is the Lord - This verse should be joined to the last verse of the preceding Psalm, as it is a continuation of the same subject; and indeed in some of Kennicott's MSS. it is written as a part of the foregoing. That concluded with He is greatly exalted; this begins with Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; i.e., He should be praised according to his greatness; no common praise is suited to the nature and dignity of the Supreme God. In the city of our God - That is, in the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 48:2

The joy of the whole earth - Commentators have been greatly puzzled to show in what sense Zion, or the temple, could be said to be the joy of the whole earth. If we take the earth here for the habitable globe, there is no sense in which it ever was the joy of the whole earth; but If we take הארץ כל col haarets , as signifying the whole of this land, (and it has no other meaning), the assertion is plain and easy to be understood, for the temple was considered the ornament and glory of the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 48:1

Verse 1 1.Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised. The prophet, before proceeding to make mention of that special example of the favor of God towards them, to which I have adverted, teaches in general that the city of Jerusalem was happy and prosperous, because God had been graciously pleased to take upon him the charge of defending and preserving it. In this way he separates and distinguishes the Church of God from all the rest of the world; and when God selects from amongst the whole... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 48:2

Verse 2 2.Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion For the confirmation of the statement made in the preceding sentence, the prophet celebrates the excellencies for which mount Zion was at that time renowned; and in them was to be seen the glory of God, of which I have just now spoken. The beauty of its situation, which he mentions in the first place, was indeed natural; but by it he gives us to understand, that from the very commencement the agreeable appearance of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 48:1

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised ; rather, great is the Lord , and greatly is he praised. The psalmist speaks of what is, not of what ought to be. Jehoshaphat had solemnly praised God for the deliverance from the Moabites and Ammonites, both in the valley of Berachah, when he came upon the bodies of the slain ( 2 Chronicles 20:26 ), and in the temple after his return to Jerusalem ( 2 Chronicles 20:28 ). In the city of our God (comp. Psalms 46:4 ; Psalms 101:8 ). ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 48:1-14

The psalm consists of two strophes, nearly of equal length, divided at the end of 2 Chronicles 20:8 by the pause-mark, "Selah." read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 48:1-14

God's own Church the object of his special care. In this psalm, which is both song and psalm, and is one of those "for the sons of Korah," there is a general theme, illustrated by a reference to some historic event. The general theme is the loving-kindness and care of God over his Church. The specific historic illustration it is not possible to fix with certainty, although the preponderance of opinion, and also the largest amount of probability, seems to incline towards the wondrous... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 48:1-7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 48:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 48:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 48:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 48:2

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 48:1

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 48:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 48:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 48:1-14

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 48:1-14

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